Spiral guide reel assembly for an apparatus for the fluid treatment of fabrics in rope form



Aug. 12, 1969 A. L. HASHE, JR 3,450,360

SPIRAL GUIDE REEL ASSEMBLY FOR AN APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FABRICS IN ROPE FORM ii F l III-III Illllllll g E is k\\\\\\\\\\\|\\}\\\ "m Y RL: '1 N I m AMBROSE L'. HASHEJR.

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ATTORNEYS 2, 1969 A. L. HASHE, JR 60,360

SPIRAL GUIDE REEL ASSEMBLY FOR AN APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FABRICS IN ROPE FORM Filed April 19, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AMBROSE; LHASHEJR.

WWAO KOM ATTORNEYS Aug. 12, 1969 A. L. HASHE, JR 3,

SPIRAL, GUIDE REEL ASSEMBLY FOR AN APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FABRICS IN ROPE FORM Filed April 19, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR AMBROSE L. HASHEJR.

W MW'M ATTORNEYS nited States Patent ice 3.460.360 SlIRAL GUIDE REEL ASSEMBLY FOR AN AP- PARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FABRICS IN ROPE FORM Ambrose L. Hashe, J12, Old Fort, N.C., assignor to United Merchants and Manufacturers, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 722,665 Int. Cl. D06f 37/26; B65h 75/26 US. Cl. 68176 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An interchangeable spiral guide member or reel for a Spiral Apparatus of the Ziegler et al. (Pat. No. 3,308,- 639) type, which forms textile fabric in rope form into a helix and revolves the loops of the helix within a fluid treating tank; said spiral reel being mounted for rotation in the tank in association with a loop forming carrier chain and a feed roller and including an elongated helical rod-like or wire member having a series of convolutions defining movable pockets for receiving and guiding spacing successive loops of the helix in association with the feed roller; the wire member having one of its ends secured to an end plate having an outer face provided with keys that releasably interlock with keyways formed in a complemental end plate on a drive shaft for the spiral guide member or reel.

C-ROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a further and new novel development and improvement of the basic apparatus and concept, disclosed and claimed in the patent to Ziegler et al. No. 3,308,639 and the related and companion Patent to Ziegler et al. No. 3,379,494 and Ziegler et al. pending application, Ser. No. 713,119, filed March 14, 1968 and is in the nature of a continuation-in-part application of such patents and application in that there is a common assignee of this application and the recited Ziegler et al. patents and application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to new and novel improvements in an apparatus for the fluid treatment of textile fabrics in rope form and, more specifically, is directed to new and novel improvements in the Spiral Apparatus of the Ziegler et al. patents and pending application.

More particularly, the present invention appertains to new and novel improvements in the construction and assembly of the spiral or helical guide member which functions, in the Ziegler et al. apparatus, in operational association with a roller means and a loop forming carrier means to form successive, spaced apart, side-by-side loops from a length of rope form fabric within a fluid treating tank and revolve the loops within the tank so that the loops are properly and completely treated with the treating fluid.

Description of the prior art The state of this art is exemplified by the Ziegler et al.

3,4603% Patented Aug. 12, 1969 patents and application, which essentially disclose an apparatus for treating textile fabrics in rope form, especially scouring, bleaching and dyeing fabrics, comprising a tank for a treating medium, a driven roller means, essentially in the nature of a main reel or winch roller; a spiral guide member in the form of an elongated shaft having a helical wire member co-axial with and supported on the shaft and arranged so that the rope fabric to be treated passes from the roller means through the treating medium in a bottom chamber in the tank and through the spiral guide member in the form of a helix; a carrier in the form of an endless conveyor chain adjacent one end of the roller means and attachable to and for revolving the leading end of the rope fabric around the adjacent ends of the roller means and the spiral guide member; drive means for revolving the carrier and for rotating the roller means and the spiral guide member in the same directions and with the carrier and guide member moving in timed relation so that the roller means draws into the tank a length of rope fabric at a desired speed, the carrier means carries the leading end over the roller means and the spiral guide member to form the loops of predetermined size and the spiral guide member is rotated so that the movable pockets defined thereby guidingly receive and space the loops along the roller means.

The spiral guide member is formed with regularly spaced apart pockets or spiral convolution spaces, the sizes of which are determined by the width-wise distance between the successive turns or convolutions of the Wire member coaxially around the supporting and stabilizing shaft and the distance radially-wise of the turns from the shaft. The lead of the turns determines the spacing between the laid up or formed loops that are successively spaced on the main reel or roller means.

Because of varying bulk density of different fabrics in rope form and for other reasons related more especially to the type and nature of the rope form textile fabric being treated, it is sometimes desired to utilize spiral guide members which have pockets of a wider or narrower spacing and with the turns of the wire member, therefore, being of a different regular spacing and also, perhaps, having a different lead and having a crest spaced at a different radial extent from the shaft. Consequently, it is necessary to replace an installed spiral guide member with another one.

Heretofore, such removal of an already installed spiral guide member or reel and the substituting installation of another spiral guide member or reel has been effected with a considerable expenditure of manual labor and time, leading to expense because of the labor and time and the loss of productivity of the apparatus during the necessary shutdown of the apparatus during the changeover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The spiral guide member or reel of the present invention includes an elongated hollow stabilizing and supporting shaft around which a continuous length of a rod-like or wire member is helically coiled so that the wire member is coaxial with the shaft. Each turn of the wire member is attached to the shaft by at least one pair of radial spokes which are inclined from positions at right angles to the shaft so as to follow the spiral of each turn. The spokes thusly extend throughout the length of the shaft in spiral fashion, following the turn of the wire member.

The ends of the supporting shaft are provided with circular plates that are fixedly circumposed on the shaft ends and to the inner faces of which the ends of the wire member are functionally related in a manner to carry out the initial and final pocket formation of the series of spiral pockets arranged lengthwise of the shaft.

One of the end plates is provided on its outer face with axially protruding keys or dogs that are adapted to interlock with keyways or locking slots formed in a complemental end plate on a rotating drive shaft for the spiral guide member or reel. The other end of the shaft is simply mounted in a bearing arrangement on a supporting structure, such as an end wall of the tank. The drive shaft is mounted in a bearing means in the other end wall of the tank, for example.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a spiral guide member or reel mounting assembly whereby the members or reels may be easily and quickly mounted on and dismounted from the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a spiral guide member or reel constructed and mounted in accordance with the present invention, with the other essential elements of the apparatus, that is, the main reel and the carrier chain being fragmentarily shown in phantom lines for the purpose of completing the environmental showing of the placement and arrangement of the spiral guide member.

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged, detailed elevational showing of the drive shaft end of the spiral guide member or reel.

FIGA- is an outer and elevational view of the end plate on the drive shaft end of the shaft for the spiral guide member or reel.

FIG. 5 is an inner end elevational view of the complemental plate on the drive shaft for the spiral guide member or reel.

FIG. 6 is a detailed side elevational view of the drive shaft for the spiral guide member or reel.

-FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged, detailed elevational showing of the opposite end of the spiral guide member or reel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, and initially to FIG. 1 for a general understanding of the environment for the spiral guide member of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates an apparatus of the Ziegler et al. type. The apparatus includes a tank, generally designated by numeral 12, which has end walls 14 and 16 between which a roller means, including a main reel or winch roller 18', is rotatably mounted in association with an idler roller (not shown) positioned adjacent the front of the tank in relation with the spiral guide member 22. An endless carrier conveyor or chain, which is generally designated by the numeral 20, is disposed adjacent one end of the main reel 18 and has the leading end of the roped fabric (not shown) attached thereto.

The spiral guide member or reel, generally designated by numeral 22, is mounted for rotation cooperatively with the main reel and is disposed with its axis of rotation parallel with the axis of rotation of the main reel 18 between the tank end walls 14 and 16.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide member or reel 22 includes an elongated hollow shaft 24 that constitutes the supporting and stabilizing means for a continuous rod-like or wire member 26 which is helically coiled on the shaft 24 and supported thereby, coaxial therewith.

The rod-like wire member 26 is helically wound lengthwise of the shaft into a number of identical turns 28. Each turn 28 is attached to the shaft by at least one pair of radiating spokes 30 and 32, as shown in FIG. 2. The spokes are welded, as at 34, to the insides of the turns and are welded, as at 36, to the opposing surfaces of the shaft. The spokes extend over the effective length of the shaft, from the standpoint of the operation of the spiral guide member or reel 22, in lengthwise rows, as can be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 2. The spokes for each turn are inclined somewhat obliquely to the shaft axis so as to follow the spiral or helical formation of each turn. The spokes constitute the sole connection means of the turns to the shaft and stabilize the turns so that each pocket is of the same maintained spacing.

The turns 28 are regularly spaced apart or identically spirally pitched and have the same lead and are of the same diameter, in that the crests thereof lie in the same plane concen tric of the shaft, whereby the turns define identical spiral or helical pockets or convolution spaces 38. The spiral guide member or reel 22 is mounted for rotation between the tank end walls 14 and 16, or similar supports, in a manner to be described, so that the pockets or convolution spaces 38 constitute movable pockets for guidingly receiving and spacing the loops (not shown) of the roped fabric, in the manner disclosed in the Ziegler et a1. patents and application (identified above).

The final or last turn 28a of the wire member 26', opposite from the drive end of the guide member 22, terminates a spaced distance inwardly from the inner face 40 of an end plate 42 which is fixedly circumposed on the shaft 24 at the bearing end portion 44 thereof, as shown more particularly in FIG. 6. The terminal end of the last turn 28a is attached by a spoke 32a to the shaft 24 and creates an open space 3812 that constitutes the last pocket. Such open space 38a is desired at the end of the guide member or reel 22 to prevent the roped cloth from building up and running over the end of the spiral guide member or reel 22. The end plate 42 is welded to the end of the shaft and the coaxially reduced bearing end portion 44 is also welded to the end plate, with the bearing end portion projecting from the shaft as an axial extension thereof. The plate 42 is formed with a rounded rim portion 46 which lies in the same concentric planar arrangement of the turns with respect to the shaft so that the end plate carries out the motif of the turns 28.

The bearing end portion 44 of the shaft 24 is rotatably carried by the end wall 16 and is rotatabiy supported by a sealing bearing 48.

The initial or first turn 28b of the wire member has its beveled end 40 butted against and secured to, as by Welding, the inner face 52 of an end plate 54. The end plate 54 is welded, as at 56, to the end portion 58 of the shaft and carries, at its center, a projecting pin or lug 60 that constitutes a coaxially reduced, central axial prolongation of the shaft end 58.

The outer flat face 62 of the end plate 54 is provided with facially protruding T-shaped keys or locking dogs 64 that are slightly arcuated, being located on a radius around the center of the plate so as to follow the circumference of the plate. The T-shaped keys or locking dogs 64 have locking head portions 66 that are attached to the plate 62 in coplanar fashion by leg portions 68. The keys or dogs 64 are equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the plate face 62 and are equidistantly spaced radially from the centrally disposed lug 60 that serves as a guide and stabilizing shaft pin, as will be described.

A drive shaft 70 is provided for driving the spiral guide member or reel 22 and is rotatably positioned through the tank end wall 14 with a bearing 72 provided therefor. The outer end of the drive shaft is formed with a keyway 74 whereby a drive sprocket, pulley, gear or the like (not shown) can be secured on the shaft in association with a drive transmission means (not shown) for powering the drive shaft in timed relation with the revolution of the carrier means 20".

The inner end of the drive shaft 70 is provided with an end plate 76 that is formed with a centrally disposed mounting collar 78 sleeved onto the inner shaft end and suitably fixed thereto, as by welding. The drive shaft end plate 76 carries a centrally located tubular socket 80 that is arranged coaxially within the inner end of the drive shaft and is adapted to receive the lug or pin 60 on the end plate 54 of the reel shaft 24 so as to stabilize the axially coinciding center of the two shafts.

The drive shaft end plate 76 is formed with arcuately shaped keyways or locking slots 82 that are equidistautly spaced circumferentially of the plate and are arranged on the plate 76 in an identical fashion, radially and circumferentially-wise, as the keys or locking dogs 64- are located on the end plate 54. The slots 82 have large sections 82a which are of similar dimensions to the head portions 66 of the keys or dogs 64 so as to easily receive the head portions which pass therethrough when the end plates 54 and 76 are moved relatively toward each other. The slots 82, also, have narrower locking sections 82b which are struck on the same radius as the larger sections and extend, as arcuate prolongations, from one of the ends of the larger sections in a counterclockwise directional facial viewing of the end plate 76.

Thus, it can be readily understood that, in mounting the spiral guide member or reel 22 in its environmental location in the apparatus the reel is bodily positioned between the tank end walls 14 and 16. The bearing end portion 44 of the spiral reel or guide shaft 24 is located in its position and disposed within the supporting bearing 48. The drive shaft has been freed, in its association with the drive arrangement therefor, so that the end plates 76 and 54 can be moved relatively toward each other, with the head portions 66 of the keys or dogs 64 entering into the larger sections 82a of the locking slots or keyways 82 and the guiding and stabilizing shaft pin 60 entering into the socket 80. The spiral guide member or reel 22 is then turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the front of the tank or from the drive end of the shaft assembly. This moves the head portions behind the narrower sections 82b of the slots, with the leg portions 68 of the keys or dogs sliding in the narrower sections 8212. The head portions are then locked behind the outer face of the drive shaft end plate 76, as shown in FIG. 1.

Inasmuch as the spiral guide member or reel 22 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the counterclockwise moving drive shaft 70, as viewed from the drive end of the shaft assembly, it can be appreciated that the locking keys or dogs 64 will be locked tightly in the keyways or slots 82 during the mounted assembly and operation of the spiral guide member or reel and until the same is deliberately removed for the purpose of replacing it with another member or reel having pockets of different spacing or turns of different pitch and lead, in accordance with the purpose of this invention.

While the guide member or reel 22 has been depicted as including the center stabilizing and supporting Shaft 24, it can be appreciated that the helical rod-like or wire member 26 can alone constitute the guide member with the shaft 24 being eliminated and, if necessary, with some form of external support being provided for the helical member 26.

It can be seen that a most efiicient but extremely simple and labor and time saving manner of mounting or assembling the guide member or reel in place in the apparatus is provided, regardless of the particular construction of the spiral guide member or reel.

However, while the preferred form of the present invention has been set forth in the foregoing abstract, summary, and description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, such is to be considered as merely exemplary of the concept since changes in construction and arrangement will occur to those skilled in the art, so that the invention is only to be interpretatively limited in accordance with the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for treating rope form fabrics and including a tank having opposing end wall structures, a feed roller mounted for rotation in the tank between the end wall structures, a spiral guide member rotatably mounted between the end wall structures parallel with the roller and so that the rope fabric passes from the roller through a treating medium in the tank and over the spiral guide member substantially in the form of a helix and a carrier adjacent one end of the roller and attachable to and for revolving the leading end of the rope fabric around the adjacent ends of the roller and the guide member; the improvement which comprises said guide member including an elongated shaft having a helical wire member coaxial with and supported on the shaft, said wire member being in the form of a number of spiral turns, said shaft having opposing end portions, end plates fixedly circumposed on the shaft adjacent the end portions thereof and the initial and final turns of the wire member, a drive shaft for the guide member rotatably positioned through one of the tank end wall structures, means for supportingly and rotatably mounting one end portion of the guide shaft on the other tank end wall structure and means for releasably interlocking the end plate on the other end portion of the guide shaft with the drive shaft.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said last means includes an end plate on the drive shaft which is arranged in confronting relation to said end plate on the guide shaft and interengaging means carried by said plates for releasably interlocking them together.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said interengaging means includes protruding locking dogs on the outer face of one of said plates and complemental locking slots formed in the other of said plates, said dogs lockingly engaging in the slots when the confronting faces of the plates are moved into substantial contact and the drive shaft and guide shaft are rotated relative to each other.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said last means includes an end plate on the drive shaft and complemental to said end plate on the guide shaft, said plates having faces provided with interfitting keys and keyways.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said interfitting keys and keyways are substantially arcuate and are provided in circumferentially spaced circular arrangement and are adapted to interfit upon rotative movement of one shaft relative to the other.

6. The invention of claim 5 and including a central pin projection on one shaft at its end plate and a receiving central socket on the other shaft at its end plate, said pin and socket interfitting when the keys are locked in the keyways.

7. In an apparatus for treating rope form fabrics and including a tank having opposing end wall structures, a feed roller mounted for rotation in the tank between the end wall structures, a spiral guide member rotatably mounted between the end Wall structures parallel with the roller and so that the rope fabric passes from the roller through a treating medium in the tank and over the spiral guide member substantially in the form of a helix and a carrier adjacent one end of the roller and attachable to and for revolving the leading end of the rope fabric around the adjacent ends of the roller and the guide member; the improvement which comprises said guide member including a helical wire member being in the form of a number of spiral turns, an end plate fixed to one end of the wire member, a drive shaft for the guide member rotatably positioned through one of the tank 1 end wall structures, means for supportingly and rotatably mounting the other end portion of the wire member on the other tank end wall structure and means for releasably interlocking the end plate with the drive shaft.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said last means includes an end plate on the drive shaft which is arranged in confronting relation to said end plate on the wire member and interengaging means carried by said plates for releasably interlocking them together.

9. The invention of claim 7 wherein said interengaging means includes protruding locking dogs on the outer face 10 1/1946 Johnson. 3/1967 Ziegler et a1. 68176 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

